The Judas Kiss
by KaliturnedSaviour
Summary: Taking place sometime after Deliverance. Years before Ichabod's prophesied betrayal, Abbie has a prophetic dream of Ichabod selling her to Moloch. She goes on the run to escape him, but all is not as it seems. Ichatrina-neutral. Slightly more Ichabbie centered.
1. Chapter 1

So, this was my little blurb in the aftermath of the distastefulness we call "deliverance".

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><p>As the dawn rose outside of the quaint cabin that Lieutenant Mills had let to the man-out-of-time, Ichabod watched his wife. Centuries ago, he had developed this habit. His soldier's instinct woke him early; his wife had no such instinct. Though fully awake, he would allow himself to relish the warmth of their bed, watching the sun rise and awaiting his wife's waking. With all of the obstacles that had been laid between them, such a relaxed moment was one he ought to cherish. His mind quickly went to Ms. Mills' behaviour during peaceful times. When circumstances allowed, the Lieutenant would always seek to expose him to some interest of the 21st century. Some were met with distaste, others renewed his wonder in such an awful time. His thoughts unwillingly strayed to the experiences which the Lieutenant had been so kind as to provide for him, made all the more tangible by his eidetic memory. He smiled.<p>

Through the walls of the cabin, he heard a great crash, as though a person had fallen to the floor. He was quickly struck by concern for Lieutenant Mills who, after a session of deep study of Moloch's plans, had stayed to rest in one of the other bedrooms. For the first time in centuries, Ichabod left his bed before his wife had woken.

Leaping into proper clothing, Ichabod crept to the door of Ms. Mills' room. He knocked.

"Ms. Mills? Ms. Mills? Are you well?" A shuffling noise inside furrowed his brow. He began to turn the knob slowly so as to allow the Lieutenant time to warn him of any indecency. No such warning came.

Opening the door, he was immediately aware of sniffling, gasping sobs coming from the corner of the room. The small figure huddled therein was the most obvious source. He crept toward it, unsure.

"Ms. Mills?"

The figure was indeed his Lieutenant, and when her head rose at his call, he knew something was wrong. She scuttled away from him, with wide, panicked eyes. He stepped closer so as to understand her fear.

"Stay away from me, Crane!"

Though not retreating, Ichabod paused, confused.

"Ms. Mills, what ails you? If I may, I shall try to aid you in it's resolution at-"

"You sold me! You gave me to him!"

"Ms. Mills, I have not any idea of what you speak but I can assure you, I haven't perpetrated any betrayal-"

Tears began afresh in her wide eyes. "Not yet. I was dreaming. And in my dream I saw you. You threw me at his feet. Offered my soul to him."

"To whom?" Ichabod questioned, fearing the answer.

"To Moloch." She whispered.

He threw himself down, locking her gaze to his. "I know he told of this betrayal but I swear on my soul that shall never, never do this thing."

Her eyes were guarded now, and he could see that she hadn't relaxed at all. He reached a hand out.

"Abbie…"

Her hand darted out, reaching behind her, and searching the bedside table. Within seconds, she had located her service pistol and pointed it at him.

"Get away from me…" She growled.

"Abbie, you must-"

"No!" She shouted. "You sold me to Moloch! I saw it."

A fierce gleam appeared in her eyes. "I'm never going to let that happen."

"Ms. Mill's, please, we can talk about this."

"No." She said in a sob. "Move. Backwards."

Slowly, Ichabod put his hands up, backing away from her. He pleaded with his eyes, for her to consider a reconciliation but a hard edge had appeared in her countenance which struck him. She really considered him harmful.

She sidestepped him, going for the door.

"Ichabod? Ms. Mills?" Katrina's voice heralded her presence, mere moments before she appeared in the doorway.

Lieutenant Mills whirled, positioning herself expertly so as to focus on both of the Cranes.

"You!" She exclaimed, pointing her gun toward Katrina. "I thought you wanted to save the world but no…you would destroy it for your own wants."

Katrina laid a hand on her chest, the picture of puzzlement. "I have not the ability to understand-"

"You're going to help Moloch. You're going to ruin us. You-" Just as quickly as her tirade had begun, the Lieutenant's mouth snapped shut as though she was physically unable to speak more. She tried again, then gestured with her gun.

"Move." She gasped.

Katrina slowly moved into the room, giving the agitated woman a wide berth. The Lieutenant began to edge toward the door, still pointing her pistol at the couple.

"Don't let her leave." Katrina whispered, looking up at Ichabod.

Though puzzled, he took a half-step forward. "Miss Mills, Abbie, please, listen to me."

She lifted her gun, pointing directly at his chest. "If I see you again, Crane, I'll kill you. I won't ever let you sell me to Moloch."

With that, she backed out of the room. Ichabod didn't move to follow her, too stunned, too hurt to try to follow after her.


	2. Chapter 2

I kind of just want to publish this before the mid-season finale comes to snatch away all of my happy Ichabbie feels. I cannot, however, wait for the meta that will be made on Tumblr. So excited for the finale!

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><p>"Ichabod? Ichabod? Whatever does she mean by all of this?"<p>

Turning to his wife, Ichabod tamped down the emotion which had welled up in him at Ms. Mills' profession. He himself had been deeply shaken by Moloch's prophesy of his betrayal, but Abbie's continued trust gave him solace from guilt. To find her so wholly turned against him, so fully convinced of his coming offense, stung him.

He held up a finger to stop his wife's continued questioning and calm his own whirring thoughts.

"I don't know, but with propensity toward prophetic dreaming, if she claims that I will sell her soul to Moloch," His voice took on a grim edge. "then, perhaps, I shall."

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><p>Convening in the safety of the Archives, Ichabod scathed Washington's bible. He had been sure that the witnesses were to be bound together for a period of seven years. Why, now, would this betrayal come to light? Would he be condemned to perpetrate a betrayal of not only his partner but the world, by way of a prophetic dream? He turned from the book in angered bewilderment.<p>

"I think I may have answers." Katrina said, approaching. "I've been searching in my grimoire, for spells that transport the soul. After all, if we may identify how you may complete this act, we might shed light upon the reason why. I found a spell, transforming a soul in the semblance of good, to one tainted thoroughly by evil."

"To what end would one taint another's soul? What goal would this achieve?"

Katrina bent her neck, red hair falling to cover her face.

"An evil soul would make for a proficient Horseman. An evil soul might even be more attractive than one with any redeemable qualities."

Ichabod turned slowly, shock freezing his veins. "You think that I shall trade the soul of my fellow witness for that of Henry? I believe in the possibility of his redemption just as well as you, but not at so hefty a price. Even as my son, the idea that I would sacrifice Abbie for the Horseman of War is ludicrous!"

Katrina turned quickly. She didn't look at him, didn't speak for a moment. When she did her voice was eerily soft. "I hadn't realized that it was proper to use one's Christian name in this new time."

Dumbfounded, Ichabod spluttered for a moment. "Well, yes, if one is familiar with another."

Katrina turned, smiling as though her odd interlude hadn't occurred.

"Then we must find Abbie and explain to her that she is mistaken."


	3. Chapter 3

**Spoiler** **Alert**** for the next paragraph:** Aaaaaaaahhhhh! That mid-season finale! Motorcycles! The Crane Split! The bae getting shot! Katrina finally using magic without fucking it up! Ichabod giving his son his 102938373638th chance at redemption and getting fucked over! Katrina skeeving with Abraham! Irving! My fantasy of Katrina's demise almost coming to fruition! Henry pulling that last move from literally nowhere! Aaaaaaahhhhh!

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><p>Miss Jenny opened the door, cocking an eyebrow. "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting the Crane family values."<p>

"Neither we expecting you at Miss Abbie's abode. But you were expecting Abbie, were you not? Has she been in contact with you?" Ichabod questioned, taking a half-step into the house. Miss Jenny's eyes tracked the movement carefully.

"She called earlier, said you would turn against her. Soon. She didn't sound like she was going down without a fight."

Ichabod was suddenly aware that Miss Jenny's arm was positioned carefully behind the door. Anything could be in her hand. He glanced at her to see the challenge in her eyes. He put his hands in front of him.

"She is mistaken. Gravely so. I have sworn to her, upon my very soul that I shall never turn against her. There is nothing, in any of the accounts we have sought for clarity, that indicates that this prophesy shall come to fruition, now, before the passing of seven years."

Her eyes rose to meet his gaze, seeming to challenge or evaluate. She sighed, the hostility in her demeanor lessening. She swung open the door and tucked the gun she had been holding into the waistband of her pants.

"Well, then I guess we've got some talking to do."

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><p>"Could she have employed the use of a train?" Katrina questioned, the word sounding foreign in her mouth.<p>

Jenny shook her head. "She didn't stop back here. She can't have enough money to get far. I think she's gone somewhere familiar."

"Then where does she feel at home if not here, or the Sheriff's cabin?"

Jenny shook her head in puzzlement. "I don't know."

"If I may, I believe I have a method that may locate the Lieutenant." Katrina breathed. "A tracking spell. I would need something from her person, however, and as she is not here…"

"Her room." Ichabod said, standing.

"Is it not improper to enter a lady's chambers without permission? Surely, that is a matter of impropriety!" Katrina interjected.

Ichabod waved his hand dismissively. "The Lieutenant has allowed me into her chambers several times."

Realizing his mistake, Ichabod turned, reddening. "I mean only that she has instructed me to fetch things for her from this room. She has never indicated that this would be considered improper."

"This time is indeed changed from what once was." Katrina gasped.

Turning into Abbie's room, Ichabod saw Jenny roll her eyes.

The Lieutenant's room was neat, quaint and sweet-smelling. Her things were untouched, her bed unruffled. It was clear she hadn't slept there in many days. The only area that didn't exhibit the same order held in the rest of the room was the vanity. The small space was laden with as many bottles, gadgets, and brushes, as would fit. Feeling vaguely intrusive, Ichabod perused the display until he found what he was looking for. Plucking a hairbrush from the clutter, he removed a single hair from among the bristles.

When he returned to the table, Katrina had set up a few mismatched candles and an old tattered map. Wordlessly, Ichabod placed the strand of hair in Katrina's outstretched palm. She twined the strand around the base of the slenderest candle. Her voice came high and breathy, a chant of indistinguishable, unintelligible words. She took the candle in her hand and tipped it over the map. Five drops landed on their current position on the map, the drops began to run over the roads, past buildings, turning and twisting before settling over one building.

"Fredericks Manor." Jenny pronounced, glancing at the group in confusion.

"Eureka." Said Ichabod.

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><p>I'd must like to thank everyone who review or followed. It's really nice to put stuff out there and get a response from those who are loving this show too.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

The drive to Fredericksburg Manor was woefully short from Ichabod's perspective. In his head he arranged words to carry the weight of his devotion, to calm the Lieutenant, to make her stop looking at him like she had, with such fear. By the end of the drive he wanted nothing but to embrace her. Their arrival at the manor coincided with the setting of the sun, and a deep seated dread settled in Ichabod's heart. Here had his son been birthed, his life and that of his wife almost ended by a servant of Moloch which he and the Lieutenant had battled some two centuries later. There was nothing pleasant that might come of this.

Exiting the car, Katrina grabbed his arm. "This is clearly a question of the bond of the Witnesses. I believe Miss Jenny and I would be wrong to join in such a conversation." Saying this, she glanced to Jenny who seemed blind-sided but nodded all the same.

"Alright." He said, swallowing thickly. He turned, striding toward the house.

Fredericksburg Manor was nothing like what it once had been. Once a sanctuary, a place imbued with the hope of freedom, was now degraded by age, and riddled with supernatural interference. Opening the door, Ichabod's attention was immediately drawn to a chanting coming from within the house. He followed the voice, knowing instinctually that it was that of his partner. He entered a ballroom, dark with the setting sun. In a ring of lit candles sat the Lieutenant. The tempo of her chanting increased, becoming rhythmic, louder and faster until with a flourish she pronounced the last words and the candles around her snuffed out at once. She immediately pulled her pistol from her holster, turned and faced Ichabod.

"I told you I would kill you if you came near me again." She said, leveling her gun at him.

"Ms. Mills, I-I never, ever would betray you in such a manner. Have we not struggled together, suffered together and formed a bond that would transcend any obstacle Moloch could present in our way?"

"I believed you, Crane. I believed and I trusted you." She said, tears in her eyes. "But I saw it. It was horrible, and I was terrified and then," She paused. "I was his. You sold me to him."

"Abbie." He whispered. At that very moment the door to the Manor opened, and Katrina appeared at the doorway.

"It didn't work." Abbie gasped. "The hex didn't work."

Ichabod looked between the two, confused. "What is going-"

"Ms. Mills, would you join us outside?" Katrina asked.

Eyes wide and fearful, the Lieutenant took one step, then another, following after Katrina.

"You must come, too, Ichabod." Katrina called behind her. Alarm bloomed in his heart as Ichabod's legs moved against his will, following the two from the Manor.

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><p>The night sky was shattered, opening to another world. Moloch was saddled upon a great black steed, below him lie Jeremy Crane. He was gesticulating, begging, it seemed. The sound did not reach between realms. Ichabod came to a stop beside Abbie, the will to follow after Katrina leaving him. Abbie stood, slack-jawed and hypnotized, just outside of the portal.<p>

"Katrina, what is going on? What is the meaning of this?" Ichabod begged.

"Ichabod, I am sorry. Truly, I am, but we have an opportunity to have our son back, to have our lives back. And all we must do is deliver a Witness." Ichabod was sure his horror showed on his face as his wife continued.

"When I was with Abraham I tried to get through to Henry, to turn him from his treacherous path." Tears welled in her eyes. "But he wouldn't respond. He was too subjugated to Moloch's will. But Moloch offered me this-this Lieutenant's soul for that of our son. We cannot refuse him Ichabod. We have a chance to get our son back." She turned to Abbie, her face contorting. "But she was going to ruin it. She would tell you before I was ready. She would run, robbing us of the chance to save our son. She would hex this place to fend us off. I used my powers to try to bend her to this task but she resisted at every turn. She would have us kill our son, Ichabod!"

He was lachrymose, even before he had registered it. "Katrina, I love you, I have always loved you, and never have I turned from you in any matter." He locked gazes with his wife, begging her to see reason. "But you cannot do this. You cannot trade in souls. Not even for our son. We cannot do this. I cannot allow you to do this."

Katrina shook her head. "Ichabod, you don't understand, we must do this. Moloch will not take no for an answer. We must offer her to him. Or he will take what he wants. Ichabod, you must."

His heart had begun to pound in his ears. He had no choice. He had no choice. "I will do this. I will do it."

Katrina smiled, even through her tears, she smiled. God help him.

"You must follow my instructions exactly, Ichabod. When I enter the portal, you must make the Lieutenant enter the portal, then enter, only to close the portal. You must not dwell long in this realm. My spell will not extend from realm to realm so you may find the necessity of force. You remember the invocation?"

He nodded mechanically. "I remember all." She had smiled.

"When I return, my love, I shall return with our son. We shall start our lives anew." With this she stepped into the portal. The mirrored world took her voice as she spoke to Moloch, and gestured placatingly to her son.

In the split second that it took for Katrina to enter the portal, the spell fell away. After a quick examination of circumstances, Abbie turned, sprinting into the forest. Ichabod murmuring curses, followed.

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><p>Ichabod soon learned that for a woman with such small stature, the Lieutenant was very fast. He took long strides trying to keep up with her and was only alerted to her course by her desperate, gasping breaths. Suddenly her steps ceased. Mystified, Ichabod crept forward slowly, trying to use all of his senses to orient himself. The woods became silent around him. He turned then turned again, unsure. He felt, rather than saw a presence behind him. Turning, he threw his arms out, catching the Lieutenant about the waist. She shrieked, and he held on as she squirmed and beat at his arms. It was a while until she showed any sign of tiring, but when her interjections became wordless he began to drag her with him back toward the clearing.<p>

As the woods fell away, Ichabod was aware of Katrina's pallid face peering out into reality. With the Lieutenant writhing in his grip, he glanced at her, seeing the determination in her eyes, overlying fear and vulnerability. He stared at her face for so long that he was greatly surprised when the Lieutenant wound up her elbow and plunged it into his stomach. He doubled over, gasping, just barely fisting his hand in the waistband of her trousers. She darted away, rebounded and stomped on his foot. This he had expected and when she was near he grabbed her using his slightly more substantial body weight to bring her to the ground. His mind nearly incoherent, he saw what he had to do. Closing his eyes, he balled up his fist and swung.

Opening his eyes, he locked gazes with her large, dark eyes as she wiped blood from her newly split lip. There were tears in his eyes and he didn't look down for fear that his shaking hand would be streaked with blood. With her blood.

"Grace Abigail Mills," He thundered. "If you do not enter that portal, I will force you therein."

Her stunned face stared up at him, but slowly she stood, turning toward the portal. Just as she approached the boundary between worlds, she turned to him.

"Ichabod." She pleaded.

He didn't look at her, only clasped her hand. "We must enter."

As a sob broke from her lips, she stepped through. He followed.

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><p>Ugh, I'm kinda trolling the Miharie tag on Tumblr. I'm also kinda having trouble with commas and using then WAY too much. I didn't really like this chapter but if I wrote Abbie putting up a fight instead of being hurt, she would have won. Also, I just joined AO3 and if anyone has any advice for figuring my way around there, it'd be greatly appreciated. One more chapter. Thanks for the reviews and such!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Last Chapter! Also nubianna1980, you are so right! I'm so done with Crane and his family drama and its continuation is not on my list of good things to come. Plus the return of the adventures of StruggleWitch. But I digress, I have a tentative idea for a sequel? What do you guys think. Also, if anybody has a fic on Archive of our own, and would like to suggest it, I'd love to read it. I'm reading She and He and it is great. Thanks for the reviews and such!

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><p>Purgatory, Gehenna, Hell. Of all the terminology, he had heard used to describe this place, he was sure Hell was the most accurate. Lacking fire and brimstone, it housed misery of the most acute kind. Misery that spanned life and death, heaven and earth realm and realm. It was indescribable.<p>

He removed his hand from the hold of the woman beside him and instead grasped her wrist. He wasn't sure he could ever let go, ever look at her again. He had once left this woman in this terrible realm, had struck her and even now was preparing to hand her over to a demon.

His sins were heavy, indeed. But a sacrifice, he reasoned, maybe a sacrifice would lay bare his penance.

Ichabod glanced at his wife whose low chanting seemed to be lulling their son into passivity. He slowly approached the towering Moloch with the Lieutenant in tow. With an impassive face, the demon reached his hand out to the second Witness. Fresh tears started in Abbie's eyes as Ichabod's grip on her wrist loosened. At the last moment, Ichabod drew her back to him.

"Wait." He said, praying that the demon would ignore what could be seen as disrespect. "I must first speak to my wife."

He turned, drawing Ms. Mills behind him, his shaking hand still clasping her wrist.

"Katrina, my wife, my love, when I arrived in this time I thought only of finding and releasing you from this prison. I thought only of our reunion, not of the fate of the world or of my fellow Witness, but of you." He glanced behind him at the Abbie, her wide, terrified eyes, questioning. "But now I know my duty. I know what I must do. I must align myself with the forces of good. I cannot follow you through this task. I cannot allow it." He said, backing away. "We the penitent, with humble heart, upon this threshold do summon thee. In mirrored form, appear a gateway to the world between worlds!"

"Ichabod, no!" Katrina wailed.

Turning, he shoved Abbie through the shattered sky. Her scream was silent as she fell into reality. A hand fisted itself in the back of his jacket, turning him around. Moloch's face had creased in a snarl, his eyes alight in anger.

"I will have a Witness, Ichabod Crane." He growled. "And, luckily, there are two to choose from."

Suddenly, Moloch jerked to the side, his hands going to his face. His cry of rage shook, the very ground. Ichabod turned to see his small partner clutching an ichor stained amulet in her grasp.

"Come on!" She shouted, grabbing his hand. She hauled him up and together they ran toward the rapidly closing portal. He stumbled, lost his footing and clutched Abbie who had done the same. They landed, him on the bottom due to some maneuvering. He opened his eyes just in time to see his wife wail his name. Then the shards of the night sky sealed it closed.

The Lieutenant had crawled away from him at some point. He couldn't bring himself to find her. The weight of his actions stunned him. He had just abandoned his wife and son to purgatory, to the hands of the demon Moloch. A horridly pathetic noise began in his chest, scraping his throat as he began to cry.

A hand landed upon his shoulder. He looked up into the tear streaked eyes of his partner, and behind her, her sister sporting a nasty gash above her left eyes. Neither said a word as she helped him to his feet. The sun rose as the group made their way back to the road.


End file.
